What is the biggest lake in New York?

Oneida Lake, at 50,900 acres (not counting the Great Lakes).

Biggest inland lakes in New York: the top 10 by size

The ten largest inland lakes in New York, biggest first. The Great Lakes are left out: they are seas of their own.

The list

Sizes are the published surface area where one exists; the others are our own measure of the water's outline and read "about". Reservoirs shrink and grow with their level, so a dry year shows less water.

#	Lake	Size	Shoreline
1	Oneida Lake	50,900 acres
2	Seneca Lake	42,800 acres	about 75 mi
3	Cayuga Lake	42,800 acres	about 83 mi
4	Lake Saint Lawrence	about 36,400 acres	about 74 mi
5	Lake George	28,800 acres
6	Great Sacandaga Lake	20,600 acres	about 84 mi
7	Chautauqua Lake	13,400 acres	about 48 mi
8	Keuka Lake	11,700 acres	about 56 mi
9	Canandaigua Lake	10,800 acres	about 34 mi
10	Skaneateles Lake	8,800 acres	about 32 mi

1. Oneida Lake

Oneida Lake spreads over 50,900 acres. Expect walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. At about 55 ft at its deepest, it warms quickly in spring. Its bed shows three steep ledges and an upper arm worth a first look.

Oneida Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Seneca Lake

At 42,800 acres of water, Seneca Lake is a big lake. It holds lake trout, trout, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. At about 618 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer.

Seneca Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. Cayuga Lake

Cayuga Lake covers 42,800 acres. It lies right by Union Springs. Expect lake trout, trout, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. It goes down to about 435 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and a sheltered cove: good places to start.

Cayuga Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. Lake Saint Lawrence

Lake Saint Lawrence is a reservoir of about 36,400 acres. The lake is near Massena. The usual New York mix applies: walleye, northern pike, largemouth bass and yellow perch. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and an upper arm worth a first look. Lake Saint Lawrence is a reservoir on the St. Lawrence River impounded by the Moses-Saunders Power Dam and shared between New York and Ontario.

Lake Saint Lawrence today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. Lake George

At 28,800 acres, Lake George is a big lake. Smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, lake trout and yellow perch are the draw. It goes down to about 196 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start.

Lake George today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. Great Sacandaga Lake

At 20,600 acres of water, Great Sacandaga Lake is a big lake. You will find it right by Northville. Walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass and trout are the draw. At about 70 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. The lake bed gives you four steep ledges to work. Great Sacandaga Lake was created in 1930 when the Conklingville Dam impounded the Sacandaga River to help control Hudson River flooding.

Great Sacandaga Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Chautauqua Lake

Chautauqua Lake covers some 13,400 acres. You will find it next to Lakewood. Walleye, muskie, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass are the draw. At about 44 ft at its deepest, it warms quickly in spring. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and an upper arm worth a first look. Chautauqua Lake drains south via the Chadakoin River toward the Allegheny River rather than toward the Great Lakes.

Chautauqua Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Keuka Lake

Keuka Lake covers 11,700 acres of water. The lake is next to Keuka Park. It holds lake trout, trout, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. At about 187 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and an upper arm: good places to start. Keuka Lake is the only Y-shaped Finger Lake, with two long arms meeting at Penn Yan.

Keuka Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. Canandaigua Lake

Canandaigua Lake covers 10,800 acres. You will find it next to Canandaigua. Trout, lake trout, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass are the draw. The deepest water is around 276 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and an upper arm to work. Canandaigua Lake is the sole source of drinking water for the city of Canandaigua, New York. It is a clear lake, so long casts and a quiet approach pay off.

Canandaigua Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

10. Skaneateles Lake

At 8,800 acres of water, Skaneateles Lake is a good-sized lake. The lake is within an easy drive of Syracuse (about 16 miles). Expect trout, lake trout, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. The deepest water is around 315 ft. Skaneateles Lake is so clean that the city of Syracuse has long used it as a largely untreated drinking-water source. It is a clear lake, so long casts and a quiet approach pay off.

Skaneateles Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

Big water, big days

The bigger the lake, the more the wind matters. Plan the day around the forecast, start on the sheltered side and give yourself a way home if it builds.